I thought this documentary could be of interest to some. I found it very educational. It's also good for disentchantment from the body (for this, see also *) and getting aware of how quickly it can stop functioning. It maybe also can give us some greater intention to live a healthy life.

It shows with the help of real organs and autopsy (WARNING: Graphic pictures) what is happening inside the human body, for example in cases of arteriosclerosis, cancer, poisoning and ageing.

Is the person doing the autopsy have knowldege in the same way someone doing contemplation of the body ?
Did this guy reach nirvana ? - i think he probobly didnt (or he would say so) but what exactly is the difference between him and a meditator doing lot of body contemplation ?

after years and years of autopsys im sure he had contemplated quite a lot about this subject

Please send merit to my dog named Mika who has passed away - thanks in advance

purple planet wrote:Is the person doing the autopsy have knowldege in the same way someone doing contemplation of the body ?
Did this guy reach nirvana ? - i think he probobly didnt (or he would say so) but what exactly is the difference between him and a meditator doing lot of body contemplation ?

after years and years of autopsys im sure he had contemplated quite a lot about this subject

Contemplation of the body is a tool to be used to remove craving. Most ordinary people are NOT interested in lowering sexual desire or craving for life. That is why for them, observation of the bodies doesn't suffice for Nibbana. Lust and craving to exist is so deeply ingrained in our genes that to over ride millions of years of evolution is very hard.

"Life is a struggle. Life will throw curveballs at you, it will humble you, it will attempt to break you down. And just when you think things are starting to look up, life will smack you back down with ruthless indifference..."

Very interesting thread.
I was searching for stuff like mesentery, sinews etc recently, because I was reading the suttas about contemplating the body and I didn't know what these things really looked like.
I nearly heaved when I saw some of the pics!

I also attended the very good 'Death' exhibition currently showing at the Wellcome Collection in London (which I recommend to anyone in the UK). It has a model of a rotting corpse and you can see all the gory bits. Jaundiced skin, intestines bleeding, bone marrow etc.

I realised however that I was actually experiencing full-on aversion to the body, which I hope will eventually fade and I can develop equanimity.

Death sweeps away those who spend their lives gathering flowers
- Dhammapada 47

The only true freedom is freedom from the heart's desires;
And the only true happiness this way lies...
- Matt Johnson, The The